1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a system which inexpensively simulates the look of a conventional four poster bed without using posts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional bedroom four-poster comprises a large sized bed, vertically extending posts positioned at the four corners of the bed, a support member coupled to the four top ends of each post and valances extending around the edges of the support member. Other four-posters include draperies positioned to decorate the posts.
Conventional four-posters, although desirable to many homeowners, can not be utilized in the bedrooms of typical residences, due to the size of the four-poster, and more importantly, the cost thereof
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,727 to Steele discloses a kit for converting a bed into a four-poster. The conversion kit includes four corner posts and means for securing pelmets above an associated corner of the bed. Although the kit described in the ""727 patent allows a standard bed to be converted into a four-poster, the kit is complex to assemble and relatively expensive to purchase.
What is thus desired is to provide a bedroom arrangement which simulates a four-poster but is less expensive and relatively easy to assemble when compared to a conventional four-poster.
The present invention provides a system for converting an ordinary bed into a simulated four-poster and comprises an essentially rectangular shaped frame member, preferably comprising four separate rail members, each rail member secured to the bedroom ceiling with fasteners above and parallel with the sides and ends of the bed. Each rail member has a recessed portion extending substantially around its periphery and an upper lip portion formed above the recess and extending around the periphery of each rail member forming the frame member. A first fastening system is applied to the surface of the lip portion of each rail member to couple a valance thereto and a second fastening system is applied to the surface of the recessed portion of each rail member to couple draperies thereto.
The draperies and valances are provided in predetermined colors and styles and the customer can choose the desired combination in accordance with their design preferences.
The system is relatively inexpensive and easy to assemble and enables the homeowner to decorate his/her bedroom in a stylish manner, the bed giving the visual impression of a four-poster without the cost normally associated therewith. The frame member can be easily disassembled and the system reutilized in a different residence or another room of the same residence if so desired. The valances/draperies are easily removable and interchangeable with other sets of valances/draperies made of different fabric and variable colors.